Orland Park outlines traffic regulations for Main Street Triangle

Orland Park officials are working to establish parking regulations at the Main Street Triangle as the development continues to expand and attract more people. (Michael Holtz, Chicago Tribune)

Orland Park officials have proposed a set of parking and traffic regulations for the Main Street Triangle, as the massive development continues to expand and attract more people.

Police Chief Tim McCarthy presented a draft of the ordinance last week to the Public Safety Committee, where it easily passed. The Village Board will vote on its final approval Monday.

McCarthy said he wanted to establish the regulations before Ninety7Fifty, a luxury apartment and retail complex, was completed and more work gets underway.

"That complex has 300 apartments," he said, adding that he anticipated an influx of residents. "We want to get ahead of the curb, before all stores and restaurants move in."

McCarthy said the Triangle was unique in that it's meant to accommodate a wide range of people, from shoppers and diners to residents and commuters. He added that a flexible parking schedule was designed to reflect that.

The list of regulations calls for restricting 82 parking spots in the triangle to three-hour parking from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. The same spots would be available for overnight parking between 9 p.m. and 6 a.m., according to a copy of the ordinance obtained by the Tribune. Current regulations restrict curbside parking to two hours between 6 a.m. and 6 p.m.

Thirty additional spots would be available on Fridays, Saturdays and holidays from 3 p.m. to 6 a.m. for overnight parking. Those spots, located on the west side of Main Street between 143rd Street and Crescent Park Circle, are reserved for Metra commuters during the week.

Under an agreement with Metra, Orland Park is required to provide about 600 commuter parking spots at the 143rd Street Station. It currently provides more than 700, including 262 on the west side of the tracks, according to village documents.

The proposed ordinance sets a speed limit of 20 mph on all streets in the Triangle and no-parking restrictions for loading zones and other specified areas.

McCarthy said the Public Works Department would install all proper signage once the ordinance is approved.

Violators could face fines ranging from $25 to $500 for breaking any parking and traffic laws within the Triangle.

Ninety7Fifty is the first major piece of the village-planned Triangle, so named because La Grange Road, 143rd Street and Southwest Highway form a wedge-shaped boundary around the 27-acre property.

Once finished, the Triangle will form a pedestrian-friendly centerpiece for Orland Park's downtown, complete with shops, restaurants and apartments, according to village officials. The downtown area also includes the nearby Old Orland Historic District, the Civic Corridor and Orland Park Crossing.